


I'll Be There For You

by cjbdavies (yellowcjb)



Category: Mamma Mia! (Movies)
Genre: Death, Funeral, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-01
Updated: 2018-09-01
Packaged: 2019-07-05 12:43:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15863865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yellowcjb/pseuds/cjbdavies
Summary: Following the news of Donna Sheridan's death, Rosie and Tanya know their lives will never be the same.





	I'll Be There For You

It had been a week since they got the call. It was a Tuesday morning, 6am and Tanya’s flight had only just landed in Athens. And there was Rosie. Waiting for her, just like she always did. But this time they both knew it was different. No smiles. No screams. Not a single glimpse of excitement. Rosie wore her thick rimmed sunglasses, despite being indoors and Tanya knew this could only mean one thing - that Rosie had been up all night, sobbing.

“Come here” she whispered, approaching her friend and taking her in her arms, Rosie’s body shaking slightly as she began to cry again. Neither of them could speak. Neither knew what to say. Once Rosie pulled away, Tanya could see her eyes, glazed over and puffy beneath the tinted glass, and if it was possible, her heart sunk even deeper. 

“You got this. You’re a brave woman, Rosie Mulligan.”

“No. I’m not.” she answered softly. 

Making their way to their ferry, their fingers intertwined loosely. Tanya gave Rosie a small nod. They had to be strong, there wasn’t another option.

 

For such a lively person, Donna Sheridan’s funeral was unusually quiet. Everybody was aching. Silhouettes in black lined the small chapel, the chapel where the Sheridan’s themselves had started so many of their journeys. And now where one of them must end. Rosie gripped on to Tanya, as though she were about to fall out of her seat and through the floor. It made no sense to her. Donna had survived so much, built her own world, created her own destiny, she of all people knew what it meant to truly be alive. Her coffin, decorated with flowers, was central at the front of the room. When the service finally reached a halt, the girls made their way over to choke out their last goodbye’s.

“I thought I had it all together.” Tanya started, tears forming fast “But I really have no idea how I’m going to manage without you.” It was lighthearted, gentle, and she had managed to bring herself to smile, even if it were brief.

“Donna Sheridan-” Rosie began, before her own sadness overwhelmed her. Tears fell and she couldn’t stop herself. She gripped Tanya’s hand, who gently squeezed her in return before taking over.

“We’ll never forget you.” the pair exchanged a sad smile. Both of them hurting. Both of them shattered. “Our dancing queen.”

 

Midnight came around quickly. Rosie was more awake than she had been all day. She shifted beneath the covers of her hotel bed. 

“Tanya?”

“Mm?”

“What on earth are we going to do?”

“We’ll do what we have to” Tanya sighed “We’ll get through this”

“We were supposed to grow old together. Really old. We were supposed to see Sophie’s kids and then their kids.”

“And we will.”

“But not with her.”

Tanya couldn’t answer. Both of them knew that a piece of them was missing. A part of them that had shaped their lives for the better. It felt as though one of their bonds had been broken. Removed.

“Rosie, here’s what we’ll do. We’ll be strong, for Sophie’s sake. We’ll look after each other.”

“And Donna will be looking after us?”

“Always.”

"I wish we still had her."

"So do I."

That night was the first night that Rosie Mulligan had truly seen or heard Tanya Chesham-Leigh cry.


End file.
